Tommy Hunter on being traded (Parmelee DFA'd)

The Orioles confirmed that they designated Chris Parmelee for assignment and stated that Gerardo Parra has reported to the club.

Parmelee batted .216/.255/.433 with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs and nine RBIs in 32 games. He got off to a sizzling start after the Orioles purchased his contract, but he was 7-for-50 with three RBIs and 13 strikeouts this month.

Here's Tommy Hunter:

On his reaction:
"It's sort of surprising, I guess, but if your name's been in it all day, it's not as surprising at the last second. I'm going to Chicago. See you guys."

On whether he thought he was safe as 4 p.m. approached:
"I told Darren O'Day that we really can't play catch until 4:05. You get that four- or five-minute grace period, and at 4:03 he came in and asked me. I was like, 'I don't know. They might have just taken a couple guys off their Triple-A roster, so you might hold on.' Then I saw all of your pretty faces again around my locker."

On relationships with players:
"You definitely build friendships in this game. It's a pretty tight close-knit community of baseball players. There haven't been very many of us. We're all pretty similar in attitudes and goals in life. So you definitely build some strong friendships. But they'll last. It's not like those friendships go away. All these guys in here, I played with CD (Chris Davis) and Darren and a couple other guys for years. I think the hardest part about it is probably going to be from my wife, but she's strong, so she'll be all right, too."

On reflecting on good times:
"There were some great times. Just look at the last four years. Came over in '11 and the crazy thing that happened in '11 in September, just the way the team played. That was probably one of the coolest months I've had in baseball, in 2011, when this team finished last and the walk-off and all that crazy stuff that happened at the end of the year. And '12, shocking the world, I guess, and doing everything. And '13, missing it a little bit. And '14 having that Delmon Young hit, probably the loudest stadium I've ever been in. There's a lot of fun times here and a lot of good people and a lot of friendships made. Hopefully, they continue through the years."

On coming back as free agent:
"Yeah. It's all about if they want me back, I assume. There's not going to be any shut doors. I'm not going to stomp out of here like I didn't like it, because I loved it here. It's been good for us. I wouldn't mind coming back."

On unfinished business here:
"Yeah, if you don't win a World Series, you kind of failed a little bit. That's the bottom line. That's how we think as athletes. Everybody wants to win, everybody wants to be a part of it and we fell short a couple times. Yeah, you can hang your hat on it a couple months after the fact, but during those two months you still feel like you failed. Yeah, there is some unfinished business here. I wish them the best. I threw some jokes out there so it wasn't too somber and bitter when you leave. But they've got a chance to do some special things over here and you wish them the best. And hopefully they remember you when those playoff shares start coming around."